


Cavalleria rusticana

by AlysanneBlackwood



Series: Opera [1]
Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Based on an opera, Drama, Everyone is angry and miserable, M/M, Pettiness, no one can communicate, yay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-13
Updated: 2018-03-13
Packaged: 2019-03-30 16:38:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13955673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlysanneBlackwood/pseuds/AlysanneBlackwood
Summary: There's been something simmering between the boys of the drama club.  And what simmers must eventually boil over.





	Cavalleria rusticana

**Author's Note:**

> To my lovely guys, gals, and non-binary pals: I have written madness. Please enjoy.

A Prologue

_From: Dustin: so u wanna know what happened with those drama ppl_

_From: Dustin: here’s what i know_

_From: Dustin: u already know that Jake and Jeremy were dating last semester and that Jake’s dating Rich now.  i have it from madeline that Jake was cheating with Rich behind Jeremy’s back and he broke up w/ him before Jeremy found out._

_From: Dustin: so Jeremy started dating Michael Mell over winter break.  mark saw them together at some coffee shop.  they were holding hands.  def a date._

_From: Dustin: anyway so they broke up 2 months after school started.  tragic._

_From: Dustin: Jake’s still dating Rich but he’s using Jeremy as his side piece.  evidently Jer wasn’t over him haha.  guess he’s ok being the Other Man._

_From: Dustin: ok so i think there’s gonna be a blowup.  there HAS to be.  at least when Rich finds out.  What about u?_

***

_12 March 2018_

Michael Mell was furious.

It was plain (and a little unnerving) to everyone.  He stalked through the hallways, wound tighter than a rubber band wrapped about two fingers, ready to snap, fly, and sting at any moment.  His muscles, used to being relaxed into the easy, loosened way he so often carried himself, jumped and twitched in their places.  He could feel his blood hissing and bubbling in his veins.  His hood was yanked up over his head (as usual), but his headphones rested around his neck, as though no music in the world could put him at ease.  Students walking to their first period class gave him a wide berth, each a little afraid that he might hurt them in some way.  Hadn’t so many of him called him terrible words behind his back?

Alexander Reyes, the part-time drama teacher who knew Michael through the drama program, which he had joined for the stage crew, noticed the boy’s obvious anger and pulled him aside.  He made a point of talking to his students when they seemed upset; people shouldn’t have to go through a day unhappy without someone to talk to.

“Are you alright?” he asked, though he knew very well that Michael was not.  “It looks like something’s bothering you.”

Michael’s eyes darted around the hall.  “Can we talk, just for a minute?”

“Sure.”  Alexander nodded, and suddenly he was being pulled inside a blessedly empty men’s room and Michael was locking the door of the largest stall.  He shrugged out of his hood and stared at Alexander, eyes snapping with anger and hurt. 

“You know about Jeremy and Jake, right?” he asked.  “How they broke up?”

“Of course.”  Jeremy and Jake were in the drama program as well, and Alexander overheard much talking about the matter amongst the group during meetings. 

“Jeremy asked me out over winter break.  I said yes.  Why wouldn’t I?—I’ve only been in love with him for four goddamn years!”  Michael laughed; an empty, dark sound.  “We had sex a month after school started; early February.  That means something, you know?  And then Jake shows up at my place while we’re hanging out, begs Jeremy to take him back, and now he’s using Jeremy as his mistress or something.”  He sighed, running his hand through his hair.  “I just… I _don’t get it._ I thought for once I got lucky.  I thought hey, maybe he actually loves me like I love him.  Because sex is supposed to be with someone you love, right?  I guess _he_ doesn’t think so, since all I was to him was his fucking rebound!”  He let out another laugh, bitter and despairing.  “And you know what the screwed-up thing is?  I still love him.  If he apologized and asked me out, I’d say yes right away.  He wouldn’t even have to beg.  God, what’s _wrong_ with me?”

Alexander blinked at Michael.  This was… quite a bit.  No student had ever been so honest with him before, least of all about their sex life.  The school definitely didn’t have protocol for this kind of situation.  He racked his brain for something to say.  The least he could do was offer advice.

“Have you thought about talking to Jeremy?” he asked, trying to keep shock out of his voice.  “You’re still his friend; I’m sure he’ll listen to you.”

“I don’t think so,” Michael muttered, “but thanks for listening.”  Without another word, he turned and left, his footfalls heavy on the floor.  Alexander watched him go before leaving himself.  Still turning Michael’s words over his mind, he resolved to put it aside until later.  He had a class to teach.  Walking towards the auditorium, he did not see Michael approaching Jeremy, but if he had, he might have stopped to watch, for the conversation quickly became heated.

“I have to get to class,” Jeremy said the second Michael stopped at his locker.  “Whatever you want, we can talk later.”  He turned to leave, the ‘BOYF’ still visible on his backpack, but Michael slammed his hand against the lockers.  Jeremy turned back to Michael and folded his arms, his eyes rolling in irritation.  Michael recoiled at the gesture.  He hadn’t seen so callous and cruel an expression since the dreadful conversation in Jake’s bathroom.  Still, he stood his ground.  Jeremy rolled his eyes again.  “What?” he demanded.  “What do you want?  Because if this is about us, and me breaking up with you—”

“This isn’t about us,” Michael snapped.  “This is about you, and Jake using you as his side piece!  He’s manipulating you, Jer!  He cheated on you and now he doesn’t even have the decency to take you back properly?  You’re his mistress.  His fucking Nell Gwyn.  And tell me, do you think Rich doesn’t know?  He sees how much you two talk.  I _know_ he thinks something’s up—he texted me yesterday about it.  Do you want him to murder you?  If you do, keep it up!  You’re doing great!”  Michael flashed a grimacing smile.  “If you don’t, listen to me.  Break it off and—”

“Quit the concerned act, Micah,” Jeremy snorted.  “You’re jealous.  You want me to break it off because you can’t deal with me not dating you.  You can’t deal with the fact that _maybe_ I want Jake instead of you.”

“You didn’t seem to want Jake when you were fucking me!” Michael hissed, his words emerging in a whispered scream.  Some other students nearby turned their heads, but went about their business anyway.  Drama students, they figured.  Couldn’t separate the stage from real life.

“Hey, Jeremy?  Have you seen Rich?”  Jake’s voice cut into the conversation.  Jeremy and Michael looked up at him.

“No, sorry.”  Jeremy shook his head.  “He’s got physics now, though—try the science hallway.”

“Thanks.  Oh.  Hi, Michael.”  Jake’s eyes narrowed. 

“Hi.”  Michael met his gaze with identically narrowed eyes, his tone cold.  “I need to talk to you.  It’s important.”

“Can it wait till lunch?  Gretch makes you get a pass if you’re late.”

“Sure.”  Michael shrugged, though it was much stiffer than he’d intended.  “Go ahead.”

“Great.  See you.”  Jake turned and walked in the direction of the math classrooms.  Jeremy, clenching one hand in a fist, grabbed Michael’s arm and pulled him close. 

“What are you going to tell him?” he snapped.  “That you know what we’re doing?  Are you going to threaten him with telling Rich?  Make him break up with me?  I swear to the gods, if you do—”

“Maybe I am!  Why do you care?  You’ll just find someone who wants you like I do, tell them you love them, use them for sex, and leave!”  Michael realized he had spoken in the present tense, and jammed his hands in his pockets.  Whatever.  There was no use in pretending now.  “Look.  I’ve got the lowest standards but… if you end all this mess with Jake, and you still want me, I will forgive you and take you back, because some part of myself is telling me that this mistress thing isn’t you.”

“Really?  After the way you just yelled at me you think I’m going to come crawling back to you?  Thanks, but no thanks.  And now, I really have to get to class.”  Jeremy turned to leave and Michael grabbed him, yanking him backwards violently.  “What the fuck, Michael?  Stop it!  I’m going to be late!”  He tore himself away and hurried to disappear into the throng of students hurrying to class. 

Michael’s fingers clenched into fists.  A scream rose in his throat.  He bit his lips, trying to keep it down, but it exploded into being, full of hurt and hate and miserable rage.  _“Well fuck you too, liar!  Just going to break my heart into shards, huh?  You’re not the only person who can do that!”_

And indeed, he was not.  They did not see each other until lunch, but that was when Michael pulled Rich aside, saying they needed to talk in the bathroom.  Once the stall was locked, Michael looked down at Rich and sighed sadly.  “Look, man, I’m so sorry about this but… you remember that text you sent me two days ago?  About Jeremy and Jake?”

“Yeah, and I talked to Jake about it.  He said there’s nothing, but… I’m not sure.  They spend so much time together, it’s like they’re not over each other.  Honestly, if that’s what’s going on they both need to talk to me.”  Rich shrugged.

“But you’re _right.”_  Michael sighed again and scuffed his shoe against the tiled floor.  “Jake _is_ cheating on you with Jeremy.  I was there.  I saw it happen.”

“What?”  Rich furrowed his brow.  “Really?  Wait…”  He frowned.  “Is this because you’re angry that Jeremy broke up with you?  Is this some kind of revenge?”

“No!”  Michael shook his head vigorously.  “I’m telling you, I saw it happen.  Jer and I were hanging out at my house, talking, playing video games; making out, doing whatever we felt like.  And someone knocks and Mom lets him in.  And it’s Jake, and he’s practically on his knees _begging_ for Jeremy to take him back.  Saying that he loves him, that he’s never had anything so special, the whole cliché thing.  And Jeremy starts comforting him.  Fucking _comforting him!_ Comforting Jake—who literally broke up with him right after sex.  Oh, did you not know _how_ Jake got with you?  Sorry, but it wasn’t pretty.  Anyway, Jeremy looks at me, says, ‘Micah, I’m sorry.  I can’t.’  And they left.  And that was it!  I was single again, and you were made a cuckold about five minutes later because I could hear them going at it in Jake’s car.  Classy.”

Rich’s eyes had stretched to the size of dinner plates.  “Oh god,” he muttered.  “I—wonderful.  Really fucking wonderful.  Sure, and I told myself I could find someone who loved me without the SQUIP!”  He laughed, disbelievingly, hollowly.  “Right.  And all I need to do is talk to them.  Talk to them.  Yes. I’ll do it.  After school.  Thanks for telling me.”  He unlocked the stall door and walked out, his footfalls heavy on the ground.

“You’re welcome,” Michael called after him, wondering if Rich might have lost it.  ‘Talk to them’?  Probably more like murder them.  Oh well.  He’d done what he needed to do.  He could always rescue Jeremy if need be.

***

What happened after school on that cold Monday would forever be engraved in the collective memory of Middleborough.  Even when enough time had passed that some believed it to merely be a mad tale, there were still those who recalled the day with visceral shock and horror.

“Can I talk to you?” Rich asked Jeremy as the drama club congregated in the parking lot.  “It’s urgent.”

“Sure,” Jeremy said warily, eyes darting around for a possible savior.  No one.  The girls and Jake were engaged in conversation and Michael wasn’t there yet.

“I know what you did,” Rich said, a little too loudly.  “I _know_ what you and Jake are doing.  And I just want to ask you, how?  Why?  How could you take back a person who you know has a boyfriend?  Because you’re supposed to turn him away.  Do the right thing, you know?  And as for why, why would you do that?  Just wondering.”  Jake, having heard, walked over, but Rich grabbed him by the wrist and flung him backwards.  “I’ll deal with you later.  Anyway.  Tell me.  How and why?”

“How do you know?” Jeremy whispered, still looking around.  “Who told you?”

“Doesn’t matter.  Now answer me.”

“I…”  Jeremy gritted his teeth and glanced over at Jake, who had been joined by Michael.  They both looked horrified, and it hit Jeremy: _if I had just stayed with Michael, if I had told Jake no, you don’t get another chance, like I should have (god, I should have told Dr. Ellison), none of this would have happened…_

But then Rich demanded an answer a third time, and Jeremy was on the ground, getting stomped in the face again and again and _again,_ Michael was screaming _STOP IT I DIDN’T MEAN IT LIKE THIS,_ people were gathering and watching, shouting and filming things with their phones, a foot came down on his ribs, something broke, everything hurt and sleep sounded so nice right now yes just close your eyes and go to sleep it’ll be over soon—

When the students cleared and the security guards got through, the body was limp and bent and twisted, horrible and unnatural, and it was too late to call an ambulance.  The students were told to go home, Rich was taken to the office, and the principal was left with the terrible task of calling David Heere and telling him of what had transpired. 

And so it was that the school was never the same.  People spoke of the day in hushed whispers.  No one wanted to remember it.  But the drama club did—and they never forgot it.  Thus was pettiness and pitiful, pathetic childishness forgotten.

Finis.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Please comment--constructive criticism is always appreciated.


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